Ok my GF convinced me to buy a road bike, I guess I must have been drunk, and I’m wondering what pedals you guys use and why you use them.
Cheers
I’d thought I never buy road bike
SPDs, cos thats what all my bikes have and all my shoes are.
i run look keo 2 max carbon, no real reason why when i think about it.
started with look easy, then classics, then 2 max, then 2 max carbons.
no complaints from me
Speedplay, coz totally adjustable float. never unclipped accidentally.
When I had a road/track bike… SPD-SLs cos cheap and readily available. Does what it says on the tin. I ran zero float (red) cleats, next time I’d run 6° (yellow) cos my knees can get a bit clicky these days.
EDIT: Now I think of it I ACTUALLY bought them cos all the FOA oldtimers told me to =)
I run speed play cos light, adjustable, low stack, double sided.
I recommend people to just get shimano spd-sl for the same reason nice said above plus cleats are cheap and readily available,
Speed play are also great as are looks
Look Keo’s because I can. (Road and track)
Spd’s for everything else.
bingo.
I use the blue cleats, good middle ground between zero & too much float.
On Shimano’s the toe floats and pivots from the rear of the cleat, look pivots at the toe.
I went looks mostly on aesthetics and a someone suggesting looks are slightly nicer on the knee’s. Correct or not,(ie you should do more research) no issues for this gumby.
I got those you beaut $30-$40 Shimano SPD-SL pedals really just to get rolling…but they’ve been fine so I haven’t really felt the need to upgrade. They come in three colourwayz.
Speedplays, best ever. The rotational float is amazing and takes the stress out of your knee and ankle joints. They’re lightweight and jens voigt approved 
Expensive but serviceable with uber ease. Look for them on fleabay as they pop up well priced. My last set was $56 with new cleats.
Only down side is they’re a pain to walk in.
Are there any road cleats that aren’t?
these things are not really correlated, but anyway.
get shimano. they be good.
Haha. True but metal cleats on tiles are literally like skating on ice. Lots of ‘oh shift’ moments in cafés. As for the float. I think it does take the pressure off the joints. The first time you ride in them you can feel your feet rotating at the bottom of the pedal stoke naturally rather than that rotational pressure being put throughout the leg joints.
haha yeh. I’ve had a few sketchy moments dismounting on the smooth concrete floor in the work basement
shimano SPD-SLs. They just work, and work well. Not terrible to walk in either compared to some of the others I’ve tried. Cleats are hard-wearing too, mine have nearly 5000kms on them and still click in like new.
The R550s are good for the price and look pretty neat too: Shimano Clipless SPD SL R550 Pedals, Pedals, PEDALS ROAD
Thanks for the input guys. Will quite possibly go for the Shimano’s once I get the bike.
SPD-SLs here also, although i did run SPDs for a long time, the SL’s are just better on the roadie, more planted.
Id go with the blue cleats instead of the std yellows, i find the float is a little too much
Shimano 105 PD-5700C Carbon Pedals | Bike Bug
Hard to beat …
I ride Time Atac’s but will be getting a set of these and appropriate shoes for tarck bikering. Don’t need 'em but will give them a go.
Look Keos have a known problem of creaking after a while. If yours don’t do it, maybe they will start tomorrow. Sometimes it’s the cleats, sometimes it’s the axle, sometimes it’s something else. I rode Deltas and Keos for years and loved them, they’re well designed and the cleats are cheap and last a long time.
One day I swapped to Speedplay and my knee issues and sciatica disappeared overnight.
Have not had any experience with the Shimano pedals but I imagine they’re set and forget.
Don’t ride MTB pedals. It’s a road bike. For longer rides you will get hot spots on your feet and the float and adjustability of a road cleat is of great value.
If your gripe is that cleats are difficult to walk in, I’m sorry but they are designed for cycling. Maybe you should wear SPD sandals, or take up jogging. Joggers are fantastic for walking in.
For speedplay users these are great.
Tl;dr - buy road pedals. They will be fine.